Private MRI Scan Cost UK 2026: NHS vs Private Prices
What private MRI scan prices in the UK cover by body area, contrast and report, which operators publish them, and how long NHS patients in England wait for the test.
Quick answer
- A private MRI is priced by body area: one area, two areas and three areas are separate products, and contrast is usually a separate add-on.
- The NHS route has no charge when a clinician refers you, but you wait for the test. NHS England publishes that wait every month.
- Before comparing prices, check whether the radiologist's report is included and whether a referral is needed.
What private operators publish
We read the fee pages of private imaging providers, booking marketplaces and hospital groups. Each figure is filed under exactly one scan (a one-area MRI is never pooled with a full-body package) and shown with the operator's own label, the page it came from and the date it was read.
Where four or more operators publish a fixed price for the same scan, a range is given. Below that, each operator is named with its figure instead.
NHS wait for the test
MRI scan, NHS in England: 357,356 people were waiting for this test at the end of August 2026. The median wait so far was 3.0 weeks, and 22.0% had waited six weeks or more (NHS England, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging”).
NHS England diagnostic waiting times (DM01): patients waiting at the end of the month for this test, and how long they have waited so far for the test itself. This is the wait for the test, not for treatment. NHS-funded patients only, England only. Source: NHS England diagnostic waiting times and activity, published 8 October 2026, read 26 October 2026.
Self-pay wait: Not tracked. No private provider’s waiting time has been read.
MRI, one body area
One anatomical area (one "part"), standard closed-bore scanner, without contrast unless the operator says otherwise.
3 of the 8 operators listed print a fixed price for this scan — fewer than the 4 needed for a range, so each figure is named instead. Lowest published starting price: £290 (Unirad).
| Operator | Figure and what it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Health | From £366starting price As printed: “• 1 part MRI scan £366” — “£366” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | From £350starting price As printed: “MRI - 1 body part (same day appointment)” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | £425includes a consultation As printed: “MRI - 1 body part (includes Private GP consultation for imaging referral and follow up with Private GP)” — “£425.00” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| London Sports & Rheumatology Imaging | From £375starting price As printed: “At LSRI, a private MRI scan costs from £375 per body part. That includes the scan at a partner imaging centre, a report from a consultant MSK radiologist, us…” — “£375” On the report: “At LSRI, a private MRI scan costs from £375 per body part. That includes the scan at a partner imaging centre, a report from a consultant MSK radiologist, usually within 24 hour…” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | £589 As printed: “One anatomical area” Median across 33 Nuffield Health hospitals that publish this scan (£400–£620). Guide price, excludes consultant fees, prosthesis and drugs. | hospital schedules read 5 November 2026 |
| Practice Plus Group | £350 As printed: “MRI scan – one body part” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Ramsay Health Care UK | £551 As printed: “One anatomical area” Median across 27 Ramsay Health Care UK hospitals that publish this scan (£325–£609). Guide "from" price, inclusions not stated by Ramsay. | hospital schedules read 26 October 2026 |
| Scan.com | From £320starting price As printed: “Single Part” — “£320” Single-part diagnostic MRI; the card states one body area and a pre-scan consultation | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Unirad | From £290starting price As printed: “Most single-area MRI scans start from £290 . Specialist scans such as Cardiac, Prostate, Breast and Small Bowel are priced differently. Our team will confirm…” — “£290” On the report: “At Unirad in Glasgow, single-area scans start from £290 — with a full consultant radiologist report included in the price.” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
MRI, two body areas
Two anatomical areas in one booking.
1 of the 3 operators listed prints a fixed price for this scan — fewer than the 4 needed for a range, so each figure is named instead. Lowest published price: £588 (Practice Plus Group).
| Operator | Figure and what it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Health | From £607starting price As printed: “• 2 part MRI scan £607” — “£607” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | £700includes a consultation As printed: “MRI - 2 body parts (includes Private GP consultation for imaging referral and follow up with Private GP)” — “£700.00” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Practice Plus Group | £588 As printed: “MRI scan – two body parts” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
MRI, three body areas
Three anatomical areas in one booking.
1 of the 3 operators listed prints a fixed price for this scan — fewer than the 4 needed for a range, so each figure is named instead. Lowest published price: £825 (Practice Plus Group).
| Operator | Figure and what it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Health | From £859starting price As printed: “• 3 part MRI scan £859” — “£859” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | £1,050includes a consultation As printed: “MRI - 3 body parts (includes Private GP consultation for imaging referral and follow up with Private GP)” — “£1050.00” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Practice Plus Group | £825 As printed: “MRI scan – three body parts” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
MRI contrast (add-on)
The supplement an operator adds when a contrast injection (gadolinium) is needed. An add-on, not a scan.
1 of the 2 operators listed prints a fixed price for this scan — fewer than the 4 needed for a range, so each figure is named instead. Lowest published starting price: £103 (Cobalt Health).
| Operator | Figure and what it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Health | From £103starting price As printed: “• Gadolinium contrast injection £103” — “£103” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Vista Health | £125 As printed: “Contrast required - Not for under 16s” On the report: “The fee includes a full written report within 3 working days, and access to your images online to view, download or share with a medical professional such as your GP.” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
Rows are in operator-name order, not by price. Scan prices read 6 November 2026; each row links to the page it was read from. Every MRI scan price we track →
Private MRI scan prices by operator →
The NHS wait for an MRI
NHS England's diagnostic waiting times (DM01) count the people waiting at the end of each month for an MRI scan and how long they have waited so far. It is the wait for the test, not for any treatment that follows, and it covers NHS-funded patients in England only. No self-pay MRI wait is published, so none is given here.
MRI: NHS wait and private price side by side →
What changes the price
| Factor | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Number of body areas | Is the price for one area, and what does each additional area add? |
| Contrast | Is a contrast injection needed, and is it included? |
| Report | Is a written radiologist report included, and how soon? |
| Scanner type | Open and upright scanners are priced separately from standard closed-bore MRI |
| Referral | Is a referral needed, or does the provider run its own clinical check? |
| Consultant review | Is a follow-up appointment to explain the result included? |
NHS vs private MRI
Use the NHS route when the scan is clinically indicated and the wait is acceptable. Some people pay privately when a clinician has recommended imaging and they want a specific date or provider.
Private MRI is not a replacement for clinical assessment. A scan without the right clinical question can be unhelpful or misleading.
See the NHS wait for an MRI scan beside what private operators publish.
Compare MRI scan pricesRelated guides
Important context
TreatCompare uses public data, provider-published information, official datasets, structured research and analysis. Figures can change and may not be complete in real time. Use this page for research and comparison only, then verify directly with the relevant provider.
- Source type
- Named public and provider sources
- Primary source
- NHS MRI scan
- Reporting period
- 2026-10-26
- Last updated
- 2026-10-26
- Figure type
- Mixed sources
- Use
- Research and comparison only
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a private MRI scan cost in the UK?
It depends on which scan you book. A one-area, two-area and three-area MRI are different products, and contrast is often an add-on. Our private MRI price page lists what each operator we read publishes for each of those, with the page it was read from and the date. Where fewer than four operators publish a fixed price for the same scan, each is named rather than averaged into a range.
How long is the NHS wait for an MRI scan?
NHS England publishes a monthly wait for MRI as a diagnostic test (the DM01 collection): how many people are waiting at month end and how long they have waited so far. Our NHS vs private MRI page shows the latest figure. It is the wait for the scan, not for treatment.
Can I get an MRI on the NHS?
Yes, if a clinician thinks it is clinically needed. The NHS route has no charge but depends on referral, triage and local diagnostic capacity.
Do I need a referral for a private MRI?
Many private providers require a referral from a GP, physiotherapist or consultant, or run their own clinical screening before scanning. Requirements vary by provider.
Sources & further reading
- NHS MRI scan — NHS patient information on MRI scans.
- NHS England diagnostic waiting times and activity (DM01) — Monthly waits for MRI and other diagnostic tests, England, NHS-funded patients.
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